What CRESTOR is for

CRESTOR is used to lower high cholesterol levels.

Even though you may have normal cholesterol, CRESTOR can also be used to reduce the risk of you having a stroke or heart attack if you are a man 50 or more years old or a women 60 or more years old and have at least 2 risk factors for having a heart attack or stroke, such as high blood pressure, low levels of good cholesterol (HDL), smoking or a family history of premature coronary heart disease. Your doctor may also do a blood test to measure a substance called C Reactive Protein to help decide if you should be given CRESTOR for this use.

Cholesterol and triglycerides

Everyone has cholesterol and triglycerides in their blood. They are fatty substances needed by the body for many things.

Triglycerides are an energy source for the body. Cholesterol is used for such things as building cells, making bile acids (which help to digest foods) and making some hormones.

There are different types of cholesterol. Too much of the "bad" cholesterol (LDL) can block the blood vessels that supply your heart and brain with blood, and can cause heart attack, angina and stroke. The "good" cholesterol (HDL) helps to remove the bad cholesterol from the blood vessels. High levels of triglycerides can be associated with a low level of "good" cholesterol and may increase the risk of heart disease.

How CRESTOR works

CRESTOR belongs to a group of medicines known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (also known as 'statins'). It lowers the "bad" cholesterol, and raises the "good" cholesterol when exercise and changes to diet are not enough on their own.

Cholesterol is present in many foods and is also made by your body. CRESTOR does not reduce the cholesterol that comes from fat in food. Because of this, when you are taking CRESTOR, you need to follow a low-fat diet, control your weight and exercise regularly.

High cholesterol is also more likely to occur with certain diseases or if you have a family history of high cholesterol.

Your doctor will have explained why you are being treated with CRESTOR and told you what dose to take. Your doctor may need to check your cholesterol levels before prescribing CRESTOR or changing your dose.

Follow all directions given to you by your doctor carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.

Your doctor may prescribe this medicine for another use. Ask your doctor if you want more information.

CRESTOR is not addictive.

CRESTOR is not recommended for use in children as its effects in children have not been established.

Before you use CRESTOR

When you must not use it

Do not use CRESTOR if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Ask your doctor about effective methods of contraception.

If you become pregnant, stop taking CRESTOR as soon as you find out and see your doctor immediately.

Do not use CRESTOR if you are breast feeding. We do not know if your baby can take in CRESTOR from breast milk if you are breast feeding.

Do not use CRESTOR if you have active liver disease or if tests show you have elevated levels of liver enzymes which may show that you have a problem with your liver.

Do not use CRESTOR 40 mg if you have:

low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism)

a personal or family history of hereditary muscular disorders

a previous history of muscular problems from using other lipid-lowering agents

a history of very heavy alcohol use

Asian heritage

been prescribed another class of lipid lowering agent called a fibrate

been prescribed any medicine containing fusidic acid

severe kidney impairment

situations that may increase CRESTOR blood levels

Do not use after the use by (expiry) date printed on the pack. It may have no effect at all, or worse, an entirely unexpected effect if you take it after the expiry date.

Do not use CRESTOR if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering.

Do not use it to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to. Do not give this medicine to anyone else.

Before you start to use it

You must tell your doctor if:

you have any allergies to:- any other statins such as simvastatin (e.g. ZOCOR, LIPEX); pravastatin (e.g. PRAVACHOL); atorvastatin (e.g. LIPITOR); fluvastatin (e.g. VASTIN)- any ingredients listed at the end of this leafletIf you have an allergic reaction, you may get a skin rash, hay fever, difficulty in breathing or feel faint.

you have any of these medical conditions:- liver problems- kidney problems- low thyroid hormone levels (hypothyroidism)- a personal or family history of muscle disorders- a history of muscle problems from using other lipid-lowering agentsIt may not be safe for you to take CRESTOR if you have any of these conditions. Your doctor may do a blood test to check if you have any problems, and may adjust the dose of CRESTOR.

you have any unexplained aches or pains in your muscles

you regularly drink large amounts of alcoholExcessive alcohol consumption may not be safe in patients taking CRESTOR.

medicines that you buy at the chemist, supermarket or health food shop, including herbal medicines.

Your doctor will consider if CRESTOR should be used together with any of these medicines, or may wish to adjust the dose of CRESTOR or the other medicines. These medicines may affect the way CRESTOR works.

Your doctor or pharmacist can tell you what to do if you are taking any of these medicines.

If you have not told your doctor about any of these things, tell them before you take CRESTOR.

Effects on driving and using machinery

Be careful driving a car or operating machinery until you know if CRESTOR affects you. CRESTOR generally does not cause any problems with your ability to drive a car or operate machinery. However, as with many other medicines, CRESTOR may cause dizziness in some people.

Using CRESTOR

How to take it

Depending on your condition and ethnic background, your doctor will decide the most appropriate starting dose for you.

If you have high cholesterol, your doctor will probably start you on 5 mg or 10 mg tablet taken once daily. Your doctor will then monitor your cholesterol and triglyceride levels during your treatment, and, if needed, may increase your CRESTOR dose to 20 mg once daily. For most patients a maximum 20 mg CRESTOR daily dose is sufficient to treat high cholesterol.

A small number of patients may need to further increase their CRESTOR dose to 40 mg once daily, for example patients whose high cholesterol is hereditary.

If your cholesterol is not high but you have risks for having a heart attack or stroke, your doctor may start you on 20 mg.

Your doctor will advise you on the dose that's right for your condition. The daily dose of CRESTOR must not exceed 40 mg daily.

DO NOT INCREASE OR ADJUST YOUR CRESTOR DOSE YOURSELF.

Take CRESTOR once a day, at about the same time each day. Keeping a regular time for taking CRESTOR will help to remind you to take it.

Swallow each tablet whole with a drink of water.

CRESTOR can be taken at any time of the day. It does not matter whether you take CRESTOR with food or on an empty stomach.

While taking CRESTOR you also need to follow a low-fat diet, control your weight and exercise regularly.

How long to take it

You must continue to take it as directed. CRESTOR helps lower your blood cholesterol and triglycerides. It does not cure your condition. If you stop taking CRESTOR, your cholesterol and triglycerides levels may rise again.

You may have to take cholesterol-lowering medicines for the rest of your life.

If you forget to take it

If you forget to take a dose of CRESTOR, take it as soon as you remember, as long as it is more than 6 hours before your next dose is due. Otherwise, wait until your next dose is due and take it as normal.

Do not double the dose to make up for the one you missed.

If you have trouble remembering when to take your medicine, ask your pharmacist for some hints.

Overdose

Telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital immediately if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much CRESTOR even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.

Things you must not do

Side effects

Tell your doctor or pharmacist as soon as possible if you do not feel well while you are taking CRESTOR. CRESTOR helps most people with too much cholesterol, but it may have unwanted side effects in a few people.

All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.

Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.

Tell your doctor if you notice any of the following and they worry you:

headache

constipation

dizziness

nausea (feeling sick)

stomach pain

unusual tiredness

itchy skin

memory loss

stiff or painful joints (arthralgia)

These side effects are usually mild.

Tell your doctor if you notice a significant increase in your need to urinate or if you are significantly more hungry or thirsty than usual.

Tell your doctor immediately or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital if you notice any of the following:

aching muscles, muscle tenderness or weakness not caused by exercise, particularly if you also have a fever or generally feel unwell

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What is a consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflet?

A consumer medicine information (CMI) leaflet tells you about the side effects of a particular medicine, what it is used for and how to use it, and is written according to Australian government standards.

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